Teenage girl arrested for dumping her newly born baby in a toilet

Police in Chikwawa have detained a Standard Six learner on suspicion of dumping a newly born baby into a toilet, Malawi News Agency (Mana) has learnt.

The girl (name withheld), aged 15, is said to have thrown the baby girl into the latrine on Thursday within Mazongoza Village in the area of Traditional Authority Makhwira in the district.

Chikwawa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Constable Foster Benjamin told Mana on Saturday that the girl is reported to have been assisted by an accomplice to deliver the baby and dump it in the toilet.

“At the moment are hunting for the boy responsible for the pregnancy. On that day, the learner absconded from school and sneaked into the bush close to Shire River, a few metres away from her home,” Benjamin said.

It is alleged that the girl met her long-time boyfriend in the bush at around at around two O’clock in the afternoon. The girl, aided by the boy, delivered a baby girl whom the two dumped into a nearby latrine, according to Benjamin.

“The following morning (Friday) at around four in the morning the child was discovered by the owner of the toilet,” he said.

Benjamin said villagers rescued the baby and handed it over to detectives at Nchalo Police Post.

The teen mother has since been charged with abandonment of a child at birth, contrary to Section 232 (a) of the Penal Code and is expected to appear in court soon.

The suspect comes from Mazongoza Village in the area of Traditional Authority Makhwira in Chikwawa.

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Attended Our Future Private Secondary School in Rumphi from 2006-2009
Holder of Diploma in Journalism from Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ)
Hobbies, reading newspapers, going out with friends, listening to radio and watching football.